Sonnet for the Young
by Lorien M Earth
Summary: Spike gets into another adventure...


Well here we go, yeah I have been writing SOMETHING whether it's crap or not is up to you, I guess it's ok…but you judge and crit it please it's in it's begging stages, yeah it's finished but it's a draft.  So I guess I can go back to my matrix writing, but I think the muse for that story went on summer vacation sighs if you haven't seen this show SHAME it's a good show…

Review dammit…(should this be PG or PG-13?)

update sorry guys, didn't notice that the spacing made it so you couldn't tell when it changed scenes! Well…I fixed it I hope

            It was the typical day on the Bebop.  Faye was complaining about the lack of food as Ed and Ein chased a bug around the room.  Spike was asleep on the couch; Jet opened the hatch and walked down the stairs.  The bug passed Faye and has it did she squashed it, Ed moaned and walked off.  Ein gave Faye a puzzled look before she glared at it; the dog whimpered and followed Ed.

            "Spike!" growled Jet, "Spike get up, you sleep to much!"  Spike sat up groggily clutching his head.

            "Do you ever feel like your dreams feel more then the real world?"  He asked leaning back and taking out a cigarette.

            "Have you ever seen the Matrix?" asked Jet, Spike gave him a puzzled look, "an old movie…nevemind."

            "I won't," replied Spike as he lit the cigarette.  Jet let out a sigh before walking to the screen and turning it on.

            "Welcome to BIG SHOT!"  It blared.  "Were here to tell you who's a hot catch today!"

            "That's right!" said the blonde girl.  Faye snorted, if she's trying to show more skin then me that's pathetic, she thought.  "Let's see…" mine are bigger anyways, Faye finished.  "Here's a new one, Bradford Campbell.  Bounty 5,000,000, he was last seen on in a bar in Mars.  He's wanted for hacking into four interplanetary banks and stealing over 4,500,000!"

            His picture came onto the screen, Faye gasped.  "But he's so young!" she said in dismay, "what a way to ruin your life!"

            "It'll be sad to see him go, he's quite a cutie!" continued the girl.

            "Hmmmmm," said Jet, "you up for this Spike?"

            "I'm up for anything," said Spike lying back down.

            "Well you won't be if all you do is SLEEP!" yelled Jet going back through the hatch.  Faye groaned as she ran her finger through her hair.

            "Eww," she said in disgust, "I'm gunna go take a shower."

            Spike was up and walking to his _Swordfish II_.  He had some researching to do, or maybe just cutting to searching.  Faye had already hit the races and Edward was somewhere on the ship, doing something.  Can anyone really explain her?

            "I'll be back," he yelled to Jet before taking off.

            "Try calling for once!" he yelled back, hoping Spike would listen.  Not that he ever did.  Edward came behind Jet as he looked out over the water to Spike's ship entering the city.

            "Are you waiting for Faye Faye?" she asked.

            "Not particularly," he said heavily before turning back into the ship.

            He had been asking around for about an hour.  Nothing, he found nothing.  He had already had about five cigarettes but on more wasn't going to kill him.  He lit one up and leaned against the brick wall.

            People were passing, it was around midday.  He was hungry but also knew that money was scarce now- which is why he needed the bounty so badly.  He hated not doing anything, or not sleeping.  It almost forced you to think, to remember; and he didn't want to remember.  He forced himself off the wall and walked back into traffic.  Next bar he went into he asked the bartender if he had seen the man.  He answered he had, in a bar on the west side of the city.  Spike thanked him and went on his way.

            Spike walked towards the ebony bar, cool and placent.  Not making a sound.  The bartender turned, she had long brown hair and brown eyes.  Spike sat at a stool and the bartender came near to him.

            "Show your gun," she whispered in his ear.  Spike appeared to not notice and took out a cigarette.  "It's fine to have it; I just want it in sight."  He still made no move and lit the cigarette.  "Look I know you have one, I can tell by the way you move."  Spike sighed and put back the box, he then pulled a gun out of his shoulder harness.   He placed it on the ebony bar, watching the blurry image of himself disappear, and change into the guns reflection.

            The bartender took it in one smooth movement, Spike didn't appear to be alarmed and let some of the ash drop into the ashtray.  The girl inspected the gun before spinning it around with deadly precision.  She stopped took aim and shot two glasses on the other side of the bar.  The loud bang melted into the sound of the glass falling onto the floor.

            "Not bad," commented Spike, the bartender tossed it to the other hand and spun it a bit more.

            "Gun's weight is a bit uneven, but it shots well; Spike Spiegel."  He didn't seemed alarmed at her knowing who he was, "you're as calm as they say."  He made no movement, or said a word.  "There are only two types of people in this world, the hunter and the hunted.  Both bounty hunters and bounty heads come through here all day, I assume your looking for someone."  He made no movement but he spoke.

            "Sharpshooter, smart and beautiful, anything else?" he asked casually.

            "Married."  She added placing the gun back on the bar.

            He shoved the cigarette butt into the ash tray.

            "Do you have a name?" he said putting the gun.

            "Leslie Cartfold," she said, "22, married, from Mars, anything else you must know?"

            "Have you seen this man?" asked Spike bringing out a picture of Bradford.

            "No," she said calmly, "but if he's around here I'm sure he'll show up here."  If Spike was disappointed he didn't show it, he just pushed back his chair and put his feet onto the bar.

            "Guess I'll be here a while then," he said.  Leslie said nothing but turned back to her work.

            "Edward what are you doing?" asked Jet, finding her on her computer.  She let out a giggle and continued humming, goggles glowing, as the computer screen flashed bright colors.

            "Bradford Campbell…oh!" he said and started to sing, "warrior warrior, Bradwarrior!  Titan, fought on Titan, Bradwarrior!"  Jet let out a sigh and put his hands to his forehead.

            "What are you talking about Ed?" he asked patiently.  She pointed to the screen.

**Bradford**** J ****Campbell******

Titan Elite Special Forces

Rank: PST

Drafted in May, 2068

Age Drafted: 18    Current Age: 23

Height:  5' 10'   Weight: 156   domi: Mars

ID: 548103248573FTSS   Status:  Married

            "And…" asked Jet.

            "Same place, same time as Vis Vis…" she sang.

            "Well, it could just be a coincidence," he said.  "That was a while ago, he only served two years."

            "Of course, of course, but that's him!" she squealed and pointed at a picture of Bradford.  He was smiling and holding a girl by his side, she had brown eyes and long brown hair, she was laughing.  Jet sighed, he hated his job sometimes.

            Spike had fallen asleep; Leslie wasn't sure whether or not to believe whether he truly was asleep or not.  He smiled as she turned back to wash the glasses.  If he was asleep he wasn't fully asleep, though a few had come by none were the one he was looking for.  Because, she knew where he was, she hated lying, she really did but…

            Spike was starting to move in his sleep, an uncomfortable motion, like tried to get away from something.  Then suddenly he let out a quiet yell and sat bolt upright, his eyes were wide and he was breathing hard.  At the moment Leslie dropped the glass she was drying, maybe he was asleep.  She rushed across to bar to him; he was still breathing hard and seeming to not know where he was.

            "Sh," she whispered, "it's alright, its okay…"  She embraced him, burying his head in her neck and placing her check in his soft hair.  Then she started to hum.  The tense muscles in Spike began to relax; the humming reminded him of someone…

            "Julia…" he whispered so low that Leslie could barely make out the name.  He stayed still a long time and she kept humming, wherever he was it wasn't here, he was lost in a past, and for now she reminded him of a good part of that past.  Slowly she became quieter and stopped.

            He slowly lifted his head, he looked at Leslie bewildered.  He was now in the present and this girl was married.  He shook his head; that was a really bad dream…

            "You remind me of someone…" he said quietly.

            "You remind me of my husband," she answered back.  Don't press things, that's what she had learned in her life.  He seemed grateful that she didn't press anything.  She gave him a small smile before going back to the bar, "have a drink on the house."

            Spike came through the doorway, Jet hardly looked up.  Spike let out a sigh and walked down the stairs.  He passed by the screen and hardly gave it a glance, he collapsed on the couch.

            "What's that?" he asked motioning at the screen, skewed from the strange angle he was viewing it from.  Jet rolled his eyes and leaned back.

            "You were gone for awhile, didn't feel like calling in?"  Spike didn't say anything.  "You know what I feel like?"

            "A pain in the ass?" said Spike sarcastically.

            "A dad to two teenage kids, Faye's off doing whatever and you leave for hours and don't call me, you say kids and critters are trouble?  At least they stay were I can keep an eye on them, you just run off! And Faye, off losing all her money!"  Spike just looked at him strangely.

            "What's wrong with that?"  Jet threw his arms up in the air.  Spike just shrugged, "so is that Bradford?" he said pointing at the screen.  It was the same picture of him and the girl, Ed never turned off the computer.

            "Yes," said Jet annoyed.  Spike moved to see the screen better.  He looked at it and then looked harder, the picture was blurry but he saw something he knew.

            "My god!" he exclaimed.  Jet, forgetting his annoyance sat up.

            "What?" he asked excitedly.

            "That's her!"

            "Who?"

            "It's Leslie!"

            "Do you feel safe betraying him?" asked Bradley.

            "Hell no, he's dangerous but I have no choice…" she answered hardly looked back at Bradley.  Well, this was it they had to leave, it wasn't safe here.

            "Please, I don't want to lose you!"

            "GODDAMN IT BRADLEY!" yelled Leslie, throwing a bag into the back of the car "I don't have a choice!  Both are bad, but I don't trust Vicious!"  Bradley sighed and put his hand on her shoulder, stopping her and turning her to face him.

            "At least if we do we eliminate one…"

            "I wont do it Brad!  He's not the enemy; I won't send him into a trap."  She slammed the trunk and walked to the front.

            "I…" but then Leslie looked in the sky and gasped.

            "DUCK!" she screamed and dove into the front of the car, grabbing a gun.  Bradley ducked and rolled over.  She emerged and aimed at the _Swordfish II _that was swinging back to land.  Lasers cut through the air, coming in a line, straight towards the car.  Leslie ran Brad following, the lasers hit the car.  The gas tank exploded, the car blew up into a million pieces, Brad was badly cut, Leslie had a few scratches.

            "He found out…" she said as Bradley scrabbled up and ran by her side.  "You're safe, he won't hurt you- he can't.  He will try to take you away, we will have to let him know, and fast or else the trap will work."

            "He can kill you however…" he whispered wrapping his arm around her waist.  "Please nothing stupid…"

            Spike was landing the _Swordfish_, Leslie walked out boldly into the open, Bradley followed quickly, using himself as a shield.  The hatch opened and Spike jumped out.

            "You fail to mention this!" he yelled voice being carried by the slight breeze.

            "Spike listen!" Leslie yelled back, gun still at her side, "please leave, I need you to go!"

            "I would like my bounty if you don't mind!" he said pulling out a gun.

            "Spike you don't understand, if you don't go you'll be killed!"  The temperature dropped, the wind picked up.  A storm was coming.

            "And exactly who would do that?" he asked walking towards them.  Bradford suddenly felt weak, he held onto the front of Leslie's jacket.  She looked down at him and gasped, and then he collapsed.  She kneeled down beside him as the first drops fell.  Spike still came closer.  Now she raised her gun at Spike.

            "Don't come a step closer," she warned in a sharp voice.  "Spike don't throw your life away…"

            "I'm not planning to."

            "You can't take him away, it wasn't his fault!"  He still came closer.

            "Wasn't his fault he stole from banks?"

            "Forget about that!  Are you really that blind?"  Spike came still closer.  She turned to gun away from Spike and turned it on herself.  Taking out another gun and pointed it at Bradford.  Spike looked horrified.  "Do all you Bounty hunters care more for money then LIFE?!?"  She screamed, more at the sky then at Spike.  The sky turned black, the rain began to pour.  "I'll blow us both away before you take him away!"

            "If I don't get him another will."

            "CAN'T YOU SEE A TRAP WHEN YOU SEE ONE!?!?"  Spike stopped dead in his tracks.  "You were set up, IT WAS VICOUS!  BRADFORD WAS USED!  Bradford was the bait; it was all a trap…"

            "How did he make Bradford do it?" said Spike somewhat furious, but disgusted at the same time.

            "He threatened me; we can fight but not a whole syndicate!  He had Brad steal so much, that a big enough bounty on his head for you to chase him down!"  Leslie tightened her grip on the guns.  "I betrayed Vicious; I had to run please, we don't have time."

            "Where is he!?!" yelled Spike.

            "I was supposed to call him, but I never did.  He will be coming soon; he will kill one or both of us.  I can't stop him, not alone, I had a choice, but now you have taken it.  I tried to save you but, either I die with my husband or you DIE!" she screamed the last word and aimed both guns at Spike.  Spike started to walk towards her again, he tighten the grip on the trigger.  "Vicious won't be satisfied until he sees you DEAD!"  She was sobbing now, he didn't want to kill him, but what other choice did she have?  She shut her eyes turned her head and was about to shoot.

            "Then I should do the same," she looked up, he was right above her.  "You betrayed Vicious should I betray myself to help another?"  He reached for the gun Leslie was already lowering, the gun slipped as Spike caught it.  He held out a hand to help her up.  She took it and Spike knelt down to pick up Bradford, then Jet's _Hammerhead_ came into few.  "You go with Jet!"  He yelled as Jet began to land, the hatch opened as Spike leaned Bradford against himself.  Bradford was coming around; Jet came out and ran towards them.

            "Got him?" he asked taking Bradford from Spike.

            "It's not him, don't turn him in take them both back to the ship."  Spike nodded to Leslie to follow Jet.

            "You're not doing anything stupid are you?" he asked, starting to turn.

            "JUST GO!" Jet rolled his eyes as the two ran back to the _Hammerhead_.  They took off in a matter of seconds and Spike stood in the open, calm, hands in his pockets.  He took out a cigarette lit it and then slowly exhaled.  Bored he threw it away.  "Vicious!" he yelled, "I know you're there."

            "I see you waited for me," said a voice behind him.  Spike turned.  Vicious, he hated no name more then that, "how thoughtful."

            Vicious drew his katana, but Spike beat him, taking out two guns he ran sideways and fired a few rounds.  Vicious dodged them and ran behind a crate, Spike shot a few futile rounds but saw it was pointless.  He charged.

            Vicious was ready and a smooth sweep welcomed him, Spike bypassed it and went for a kick.  Vicious ducked and took another swing- he missed and Spike now drew a gun.  Vicious ducked the following shot and knocked his gun out of his hand.  Spike now threw himself at Vicious, his arm was badly hurt and his left leg was bleeding profusely.  Vicious tried to beat Spike off, and for a minute he did, Spike stood back.

            He was tired, and he was hurt, that was different.  He looking in the sky, there was something he wasn't expecting- Faye.

            "Are you really alone Vicious?" he said standing in the open.  "It's not your style."  Vicious looked up and a sly smile crossed his lips.

            "You want to see the audience?" he snapped his fingers.  Red dragon members appeared from behind dozens of crates.  Faye was now swinging back, Spike smiled; Vicious was never one to fight alone.

            "Do you wish to be cremated or buried Spike Spiegel?"  Vicious stood now, Spike stood still.

            "Neither."  One of the red dragon members looked up to see Faye's ship.  He let out a cry of warning, Vicious growled.  Lasers torn through the air, crates exploded, and red dragon members ran for cover.  Vicious held out his sword, Faye's ship hovered behind Spike, cannons on either side of him, aimed at Vicious.  Spikes hair was flying with the wind of the ship, he smiled.

            Faye let the cannons ring; where Vicious was standing went up in a cloud of dust.  The firing stopped.  The dust cleared, Vicious had disappeared.  Spike almost collapsed from loss of blood, Faye landed the ship.

            "Can you make it back ok?" she said worriedly jumping down to Spike.

            "Yeah, but can you hook my ship up to yours?" she nodded her head and held out her hand to help him to his ship.  He ignored it and walked right past.  She sighed and jumped back into the ship to move it next to his.

            "Leslie and Bradford are ok; they are at the back of the ship."  Jet said in answer to Spike's question.  Jet was bandaging his wounds.

            "Where can they go?  Bradford still has that bounty on his head, it wasn't his fault."

            "He told me, and I know exactly where they should live."  Faye walked in; she looked at Spike with a so-you-killed-yourself-again, look.

            "Where?" asked Spike ignoring Faye.

            "An asteroid, way out, no one would care who they are.  No taxes, they already seem to like the idea."  Jet finished with the bandages.  "Next time, be a little more careful Spike."

            "I'm never careful, you know that."

            "You just a nut that's all!" piped in Faye.  The hatch opened, in came Leslie and Bradford.

            "Spike thank god your ok!" exclaimed Leslie running down the steps.  She almost embraced Spike but seeing the bandages though better of it. Bradford walked down a bit slower.

            "Thank you for everything," he said and held out his hand.  Spike took it.

            "Any reason to beat on Vicious is a good one."

            "Thank you again," said Leslie one last time, "I wish I could…see you again."

            "You will someday, somewhere," said Spike.  Bradford turned and waited and Leslie said goodbye.

            "Goodbye Spike, Jet, Faye, Ed, Ein!  I'll never forget you!"  She waved like a maniac, and for once Spike saw that she really was very young.

            "Common Spike," said Jet in a low rumble.

            "See you space cowgirl…" he mumbled.


End file.
